Alright guys here is an update.
Veneroma
Constantinople
Proffessor Lysandros began the third day's lesson on The rise of Veneroma.
" Ladies and gentlemen today we get to talk about the civil war. Now this war was a major war fought in the Roman empire.
Now as you know the three chief instigators were Constantine's sons.
These three fools turned the empire into a hellhole. For 5 years war and devastation ravaged the empire.
So we historians can split up the battle into three phases. The Initial incursion of Nikephoros and the Hungarians with an incursion into the balknans. The second phase dealing with Michael and his ounterattack.The third phase dealing with the Invasion of Konstantinios and the arabs, 4th phase Michael and Niekphoros retake of Anatolia from Konstantinios, 5th phase is the sudden death of Michael, 6th phase is the fall of Andronicos, while the 7th deals with the assasination of Konstantinios, finnaly the 8th phase deals with Teodora's assention to the Roman throne. Today we will talk about the first phase also known as the Magyar Invasion mainly due to the fact that King Geza I was the main benefactor of Nikephoros who unwittingly became a Hungarian puppet.
King Geza I of Hungary
On January of 1076 Geza and a group of 8000 hungarians coupled with Nikephoros and his army Invaded the balkans. The main general of the Byzantine defense of the balkans was left to a resourceful man named
Petrislav Vojislavljević
He was Byzantine strategios of Serbia. Petrislav found out of the secret plans going on beetween Geza and Nikephoros and immediatly fled to COnstantinople to warn Michael. Michael also understood the danger and put in charge Petrislav as commander of the balkan forces still loyal to the crown. He would be the cheif architect in the counterattack that occured during the second phase. Arguably Michael is said to have acted brilliantly throughout the war given his circumstances.
Petrislav realized tat Nikephoros and the Magyars would launch their strike at Macedonia, if they could cut off Macedonia then Greece would be cut off from Thrace thus leading to defeat. Petrislav acted accordingly, under his command the Byzantine forces amassed en masse across Macedonia wher Petrislav ordered a series of forts to be built. Soon soldiers used civilian labour of the area to build fortresses that dotted Macedonia. Nikephoros was ill prepare for the assault.
Hungarian peaseants readying for the assault.
The Hungarian calvary was arguably one of the best calvaries in Europe. Nikephoros decided to use this to his advantage. Now Geza I and Nikephros became very close friends of each other. correspondence shows them to be best of pals. Yet the two put on a brilliant show in the balkans.
A medieval tet explains one battle that gives historians a clear outlook of how the first pphase began. The siege of the fort Heraclum. Heraclum was a fort built in eastern macedon and a powerful defensive fortification.
Herclum was a powerful fortress as can be seen from this picture and a fromidable defense. This is a detailed textual account of the battle that took place for this fort.
Document by Atislav Slavic Historian of 11th century.
" As can be seen I was a townsmen at Herclum. Our fortress was huge if one must know and many found it formidable. Yet the enemy was a terrifing lot. The battle started at daybreak, the Roman defenders stared grimly out at the massive army that faced them."
Before we continue here is a diagram of the enemy positions
as you can see the Hungarians executed a typical siege
" The enemy was vast we heard, our garrison of 5000 stared at the large 8000 strong enemy. Then the siege began. Catapaults launched stones and debree at th castle walls. At first panic ensued but our soldiers stood ground. Many building were demolished ut our generlal Vatislavius ordered the catapaults to fire debree back at the enemy. Soon both sdes exchanged blows. For days a stalemate ensued, the wwalls held strong but the catapaults relentlessly assaulte dit day and night. FInnaly the Hungarians tried launching ladders, scores of soldiers carrying ladders ran up to the fort. Our archers shot down many but we all knew it was futile. The various catapault damage had broken the morale of the defenders yet Vatislavius stood and shouted bravely. The ROmans regianed morale and sooon unleashe doil down on the enmy. Pots of boiling oil were heated up and then dropped on the enemy. It was an incredible sight, many soldiers burned to death. However the battering rs arrived and soon the walls were breached. I saw as our defenders bravely held out with madness as they fought to the end. However the Hungarians had one superior force of calvary and as soon as the gates were open the fort was invaded. We fought for our llives but the fort was pillaged and looted. Many lost their lives."
As you can see Many atrocities were commited by Nikephoros and the Magyars. SUddenly the bell rang. Lysandros grinned " Well class tommorow we will finish up the first phase of the civil war.
What do you guys think
